Indicating dial for stock quotation boards



June 26, 1934. c. T. FOSS 1,964,047

INDICATING DIAL FOR STOCK QUOTATION BOARDS Filed March 23, 1931 INVENTORCLIFTON T. FOSS ATTORNEY Fatented June 26,

INDICATING DIAL FDR STOCK QUOTATION BOARDS Clifton T. Foss, New York, N.Y., assignor to International Communications Laboratories, 21c, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New ork Application March 23, 1931, SerialNo. 524,622

6 Claims.

My invention relates to indicators and particularly to the type used inautomatic stock quotation boards.

The object of my invention is in the design of such an indicator whichwill be compact and simple in its operation. The number wheel forindicating the stock quotation is operated by an electro-magnet which iscontrolled from a keyboard or other suitable transmitter.

Means are provided for causing the number wheel to rotate in onedirection to display the proper number and to rotate in the oppositedirection to return to its normal or home position.

Various features of my invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription:

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a side View of the indicator part1 in section;

Fig. 2 shows a detail of the number wheel partly in section with itscontrolling mechanism;

Fig. 3 shows a detail of the stop mechanism for the number wheel;

Fig. 4 shows the commutator and circuit connections for controlling theoperation of the number wheel.

Referring first to Fig. 1, it will be noted that all the mechanism ishoused in a casing 15 which serves as a support for the various parts.The number wheel 1, preferably made of aluminum, is in the form of ashell and rigidly fastened to the shaft 3 the ends of which project intoopenings in case 15 as shown. One end of a spring 14 is fastened to theshaft 3 and the other end passes through an opening in the case 15. Thisspring tends to turn the shaft in a clockwise direction.

Also attached to the shaft 3 is a pinion 2 engaged by the teeth 19 ofthe segment 18 as shown in Fig. 2. This segment is rigidly attached tothe shaft 31, the ends of which also project into openings in the case15. A stop 90 is provided to limit the movement of sector 18 in onedirection.

A spring 42 is attached to a pin 41 projecting from the shaft 31 andalso to the arm 43 which is pivoted to the case 15 at 46. This arm isprovided with the slot 44 through which a pin 45 passes. This pin alsopasses through the end of the solenoid plunger 47 of the magnet 49 thuscoupling it to the arm 43.

When the magnet 49 is energized, the plunger 47 is drawn within the core48 and the arm 43 is moved toward the magnet 49. The movement of the arm43 causes the rotation of shaft 31, that of the segment 18 and theconsequent rotation of the shaft 3 and the number wheel 1 in acounterclockwise direction, The casing 15 has an extension through whicha rod 32 passes to engage openings 16 in the number wheel 1. The rod 32is provided with a disc 33 having a notch 34 adapted to be engaged bythe projection or lip 36 of the rod 37.

The rod 32 is att ched'tothe arm 43 by means of s the spring 35 and thepin 95 which passes through the arm and engages one end of a slot 96 inrod 32 as shown. The operation of this arm causes the end of the rod 32to disengage the openings 16 in the wheel 1.

The magnet 49 is fastened to one end of the case 15 by the screw 50.Attached to the forward end of the case by the screws 12 and 13 is acommutator base 11 provided with segments 21 to 30 of conductingmaterial as shown in Fig. 4.

The base 11 is of insulating material and is provided with the raisedportion or ridge 1'7.

This ridge is in the form of a spiral curve and is provided with acut-away portion at 4 to admit the roller 5. This roller is attached toa flexible spring 6 which in turn is fastened to the arm 7, whichprojects from the collar 8 attached to the shaft 3 but insulatedtherefrom by the bushing 53.

The spring 6 is so adjusted that the roller 5 when brought opposite theopening 4 when the shaft 3 is rotating in a counter clockwise directionleaves the segment 30 and rests upon the insulated segment base 11.

In this position the roller 5, when the shaft 3 rotates in a clockwisedirection engages the inner surface of the ridge 1'7.

When the roller 5 nears a complete rotation and again reaches theopening it will engage the segment 21.

The reason for this operation will be explained in the description tofollow.

Referring to Fig. 4, I have shown a simple form of controlling circuitin order to describe the operation of the device. In ordinary practicethe commutator segments as 2130 of a group of indicator units would bein multiple connection to the contacts 6170. Each indicator unit of thisgroup would have associated with it, a contact as 60, so that a givenindicator unit might be selected for operation by the closure of theassoopening 16 in the number wheel.

When a key is depressed. it will lock open its contacts and. restore thepreviously depressed button. The winding of. magnet 49 is in electricalconnection with the. roller 5 (this connection, in reality, would be toroller 5 through terminal 10, spring 9, collar 8-, pin 7 and spring 6 inFig. l and also connected to a contact in the button 60. tively tocontacts of buttons 61 to 70.

The numbers or characters to be displayed appear on the outer surface ofthe wheel or shell 1. When the roller 5 is in engagement with segment 21then the first number or character as numeral 1 will. appear in theopening or window 80 at the end of the case 15 and when the roller is inengagement with segment 22 the numeral 2 will appear and. so on..

The operation of the device is as follows:

In order to have numeral 3 displayed, button 63 is depressed thusremoving ground from segment 23 but thisv ground. connection will beconnected tov the remaining segments 21, 22, and24 to 30 inclusivethrough contacts of the buttons 61, 62, and 64 to inclusive.

We will assume roller 5 is resting on segment 21, then by depressingbutton 60 the circuit of magnet 49 is completed from battery 90,contacts of button 60, winding of magnet 49, roller 5, segment 21,contacts of button 61 to ground. Magnet 49 becoming energized causes theplunger 47 to be drawn Within the tube 48 and likewise draws the arm 43toward the magnet.

The movement of the arm 43 causes the rotation of the shaft 31 andsector 18 and the consequent rotation of the shaft 3 carrying the numberwheel 1. The foregoing movement will continue until the roller 5 engagessegment 23 from which ground has been disconnected by the operation ofbutton 63, thus opening the circuit extending through the winding ofmagnet 49.

When roller 5 engages contact 23, the numeral 3 on the number wheel isdisplayed and the wheel is maintained in this position as the end of rod32 now engages an opening 16 in the wheel 1 due to the restoration ofarm 43.

If now it is desired to cause numeral 2 to be displayed, button 62 isdepressed restoring button 63 and reconnecting ground to segment 23,again closing the circuit of magnet 49.

The arm 43 will again be attracted toward the magnet and the numberwheel will rotate in a counter-clockwise direction causing the roller 5to progressively engage the grounded segments 23 to 30 inclusive. Whenthe end portion of segment 30 is reached and the roller is opposite theopening 4, it will swing inward and engage the insulated base 11, thusbreaking the circuit of magnet 49.

At this time the pin 40 engages the portion 39 causing the pin on rod 37to move inward and the lip 36 to pass under the collar 33. When the arm43 restores, the lip 36 engages the notch 34 thus preventing the end ofrod 32 engaging an At this time the tension of spring 42 is removed fromthe shaft 31 thus allowing shaft 3 under tension of' spring 14 to rotatein a clockwise direction. This causes the roller 5 to rotate in aclockwise direction on the inner side of ridge 17 until the opening 4 isreached.

When this happens the roller engages the segment 21 and again closes thecircuit of magnet 49. The roller will now rotate outside the ridge 17until the ungrounded segment 22 is reached thereby again opening thecircuit of magnet 49.

The segments 21 to 30 are connected respec- The energizing of magnet 49when roller 5 engaged segment 21 caused the attraction of arm 43 and theconsequent operation of rod 32 causing the collar 33 to disengage thelip 36 from notch 34 allowing the arm 3'7 to restore.

What is claimed is:

1. An indicator arrangement comprising a r0- tatable indicator carryingthereon a plurality of characters, means normally locking said indicatoragainst rotation, a commutator having a plurality of segmentscorresponding to said characters and a Wiper rotatable with saidindicators in phase with the rotation of said characters through adisplay position, means for selecting a segment corresponding to thecharacter to be set to said display position, a magnet, means forinitially energizing said magnet when said wiper rests on a segmentcorresponding to the charac ter previously set to said display positionand for thereafter de-energizing it when said wiper reaches the selectedsegment, driving means, actuated upon the energization of said magnet,for rotating said indicator, and means for rendering the locking meansefiective upon actuation of said magnet to free said indicator forrotation and to prevent further rotation thereof upon thede-energization of said magnet.

2. An indicator arrangement comprising a rotatable indicator, meansnormally locking said indicator against rotation, said indicator beingconstructed in the form of a shell and carrying on its periphery aplurality of characters, a commutator disposed within said indicator,said commutator having a plurality of segments corresponding to saidcharacters and a wiper rotatable with said indicators in phase with therotation of said characters through a display position, means forselecting a segment corresponding to the character to be set to saiddisplay position, a

magnet, means for initially energizing said magnet when said Wiper restson a segment corresponding to the character previously set to saiddisplay position, means for de-energizing said magnet when said wiperreaches the selected segment, driving means, actuated upon theenergization of said magnet for rotating said indicator, and means forrendering the locking means operative upon the actuation of said magnetto free said indicator for rotation and to prevent further rotationthereof upon the de-energization of said magnet.

3. An indicator arrangement comprising an indicator carrying thereon aplurality of characters, means for normally locking said indicatoragainst rotation, a commutator having a plurality of segmentscorresponding to said characters and a wiper rotatable with saidindicator in phase with the rotation of said characters through adisplay position, a magnet, means for initially energizing said magnetwhen said wiper rests on a segment corresponding to the character thendisplayed and for thereafter holding it energized as long as said wiperis in engagement with said segments, driving means actuated upon theenergization of said magnet for rotating said wiper in engagement withsaid segments, means for rendering the locking means operative upon theenergization of said magnet to free said indicator for rotation and torelock said indicator upon the de-energization thereof, means for movingsaid wiper out of engagement with said segments when it reaches apredetermined segment in its rotation, means thereupon eifective forpreventing the locking of said indicator by said locking means upon theresultant de-energization of said magnet, means rendered eiTective uponmovement of said wiper out of engagement with the segments for rotatingthe drum and wiper to a second predetermined position, and meanseffective upon said second predetermined position being reached to movesaid wiper into engagement with the segments.

4. An indicator arrangement comprising an indicator carrying thereon aplurality of characters, means for normally locking said indicatoragainst rotation, a commutator having a plurality of segmentscorresponding to said characters and a wiper rotatable with saidindicator in phase with the rotation of said characters through adisplay position, a magnet, means for initially energizing said magnetwhen said wiper rests on a segment corresponding to the character thendisplayed and for thereafter holding it energized as long as said wiperis in en gagement with said segments, driving means actuated upon theenergization of said magnet for rotating said wiper in one direction inengagement with said segments, means for rendering the locking meansoperative to free said indicator for rotation upon the energization ofsaid magnet and to re-lock said indicator upon the de-energizationthereof, means for moving said wiper out of engagement with saidsegments when it reaches a first predetermined segment, means thereuponeffective for preventing the locking of said indicator by said lockingmeans upon the resultant de-energization of said magnet, tensioningmeans thereafter effective to rotate said indicator in the oppositedirection and out of engagement with said segments to a secondpredetermined position and means effective upon said secondpredetermined position being reached to move said wiper into engagementwith the segments.

5. An indicator arrangement comprising an indicator carrying thereon aplurality of characters, means for normally locking said indicatoragainst rotation, at commutator having a plurality of segmentscorresponding to said characters, a wiper rotatable with said indicatorin phase with the rotation of said characters through a displayposition, and a spiral ridge, having an opening therein, for guidingsaid wiper, a magnet, means for initially energizing said magnet whensaid wiper rests on a segment corresponding to the character thendisplayed and for thereafter holding it energized as long as said wiperis in engagement with said segments, driving means actuated upon theenergization of said magnet for rotating said wiper on the outside ofsaid ridge and in engagement with said segments, means for rendering thelocking means operative upon the energization of said magnet to freesaid indicator and operative upon the de-energization thereof to relocksaid indicator, means for moving said wiper through the opening in saidridge and out of engagement with said segments when said wiper reaches afirst predetermined segment, means thereupon effective for preventingthe locking of said indicator by said locking means upon the resultantde-energization of said magnet, and tensioning means thereaftereifective for rotating said wiper on the inside of said ridge and out ofengagement with said segments until said wiper reaches a secondpredetermined segment whereupon said moving means is efiective to movesaid wiper through said opening into engagement with the segments.

6. An indicator arrangement comprising a ro- 100 tatable indicatorcarrying thereon a plurality of characters, means normally locking saidindicator against rotation, a commutator having a plurality of segmentscorresponding to said characters and a wiper rotatable with saidindicator 195 in phase with the rotation of said characters through adisplay position, means for normally grounding said segments, means forremoving ground from a selected segment corresponding to the characterto be set to said display position, 119 a magnet, means for initiallyenergizing said magnet when said wiper rests on the segmentcorresponding to the character previously set to said display position,said magnet being de-energized upon said wiper reaching the selectedsegment from which ground has been removed by said ground removingmeans, driving means actuated upon the energization of said magnet forrotating said indicator, and means for rendering the locking meansoperative upon the ener- 4 gization of said magnet to free saidindicator for rotation and to prevent further rotation thereof upon thede-energization of said magnet.

CLIFTON T. FOSS.

